April 17, 2026 Eurasia, Iran, Middle Orient
Trump’s war on Iran hasn’t just redrawn battle lines; it has fractured the very architecture of the post-Second World War global order: a transatlantic alliance pushed beyond limits and internally too fractured to be repaired, a rapidly remade Middle East, shifting rules of global oil transit, and a stark exposure …
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April 17, 2026 Eurasia, Middle Orient
As war rages in Lebanon between Israel and Hezbollah, Western intelligence agencies are fighting to cut off the Iran-backed militia, whose military wing is designated a terrorist organisation by the EU while several member states have banned the organisation entirely. A recent Western intelligence report seen by Euractiv details Hezbollah’s …
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April 17, 2026 Eurasia, Middle Orient
The U.S. State Department released a statement after the meeting saying the two sides had “productive discussions on steps toward launching direct negotiations.” U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio hosted the first direct talks between Israel and Lebanon in decades on Tuesday and both sides said they held positive discussions …
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April 17, 2026 Eurasia, Middle Orient, South East Asia
Amir Khan Muttaqi, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, and Saudi Arabia’s Ambassador to Kabul, Faisal bin Talq Al-Baqmi, discussed regional developments and recent talks between Afghanistan and Pakistan held in the Chinese city of Urumqi during a meeting on Wednesday. According to a statement …
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April 17, 2026 Eurasia, Iran, Middle Orient
Iran earned nearly $5bn in oil exports in the past month while it shut the strait for most other ships. That revenue is at risk. The United States naval blockade of Iran has come into effect as President Donald Trump’s administration tries to pressure Tehran into accepting its terms for …
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April 17, 2026 Eurasia, Middle Orient
Even if oil and gas production recovers, the supply chain may not As US President Donald Trump blockades Iran’s ports during what appears to be a protracted and highly unpredictable war, considerations are turning to the long-term implications for transport and logistics in the Gulf. Unsurprisingly, the oil and gas …
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April 17, 2026 Eurasia, Middle Orient, Turkey
The growing Israeli-Turkish rivalry might soon expand to Jordan. Turkiye, Syria, and Jordan signed a trilateral MoU in early April on transport cooperation that followed their meeting more than half a year prior last September where they first committed to reviving the Hejaz Railway. This late-Ottoman project connected Istanbul with …
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April 17, 2026 Eurasia, Iran, Middle Orient
Key Takeaways US naval forces continued to enforce the blockade on Iranian ports. US Central Command (CENTCOM) reported on April 15 that no vessels had breached the blockade on Iranian ports during the first 48 hours of enforcement. The United States has reportedly set two preconditions for another round of …
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April 17, 2026 Eurasia, Middle Orient
The economic, political, and diplomatic fallout of the Iran crisis is bending the kingdom in multiple directions, but Washington can do much to ease the domestic stress, avoid bilateral friction, and address Amman’s growing rift with Israel. Jordan has proven to be an invaluable U.S. strategic partner during the war, …
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April 17, 2026 Eurasia, Iran, Middle Orient
The US naval blockade of Iran, which started on Monday, could rapidly cripple the country’s economy, cutting off most of its trade, halting oil exports and triggering inflation and currency pressure within days. The blockade, targeting Iranian ports and imposing partial restrictions in the Strait of Hormuz, took effect at …
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